Cooling transmission rollers



Sept. 27,1938. J, o, ALMEN 2,131,159

COOLING TRANSMISSION ROLLERS Filed May 11, 1954 s sheets-sneei'l Sept. 27, 1938.

J. o. ALMEN COOLING TRANSMISSION ROLLERS Filed-May 11, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ywi Gum/Mp Sept. 27, 1938. J, 5, ALMEN' 2,131,159

COOLING TRANSMISSION ROLLERS Filed May 11, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 27, 1

UNITED STATES PATE NT OFFICE COOLING TRANSMISSION ROLLERS f Application May 11, 1934, Serial No. 725,039

6 Claims.

This invention relates to means for dissipating heat from and lubricating the working surfaces of the races and rollers of mission mechanism The object is to prevent a friction roller transfor motor vehicles.

injury to the working surfaces of the rollers and races,due to the generation of heat incident to the necessarily high pressure imposed on the elements of trans- 1 mission mechanisms of this type operating under heavy loads-by transferring heat from said surfaces'to a liquid.

The object is achieved by means for conducting cooling'liquid, such as lubricating oil of suitable characteristics, to the surface of a rotating roller, combination with means, such as a shroud or guide plate and slightly disposed substantially parallel with spaced from the liquid receiving surface of the roller, for confining the liquid and guiding it to the area' of contact between roller and race. In the specific shroud or guide plates are means illustrated the disposed parallel with the side faces of the rollers, and cooling and lubricating liquid is conducted to the inner zone or zones of the roller near its axis, whence centrifugal force causes it to flow outward in sheetlike form to the traction area or areas.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters out the several viewsindicate like parts through- Fig. I is an elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of a fragment of a friction race and roller transmission mechanism embodying this invention, showing a carrier and shrouded roller in cross section on 8. axis and roller axis;

Fig. 2 is a'fragmentary and its forked carrier, parallel with the race ax race; Fig. 3 is'a view 3-3 of Fig. 1;

plane including the race view showing aroller as looked at in a direction is toward the driving on planes indicated by line Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal section, of

vention is applied;

Fig. 5 is a section by line 5-5, Fig. 4.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a fdouble toric roller-transmission mechanism to which this inrace and on two planes as indicated a transmission casing H3, in side elevation, broken away to expose,

partly in section, parts of a double toric transmission mechanism, consisting of two sets of coaxial driving and driven rnceways and two'sets of i sion rollers engaging the r in casing it are two pa races having toroidal ntermediate transmisaceways. Fixed withrallel supporting and it! through a bearing (not shown) in the front it) end and passes through bearings carried by mem bers i2 and Ma. A driven or power output shaft 22 is also journaled in casing l0, its front end carrying a bevel pinion 26, designed to mesh with the'ring gear of a differential axle gearing not shown. Within the casing tube 28 is fitted snugly in the central holes of members [2 and l2a which are formed with aru'iular oil grooves l3, l3a around the tube. Shaft 22 passes through tube 28 and has a bearing fit within its rear end. The tube is elsewhere circumferentiaily spaced from the shaft and is provided with oil holes 29 and 29a placing in communication the oil grooves l3, |3a and the annular space between tube and shaft. Tube 28 and member Ha are rigidly connected by collar 290 which is fixed to the tube as by a weld and bolted to member l2a. I

A tubular hub-like member 30 is rotatably mounted on tube 28 between the members I2 30 and i20 as shown in Fig. 4. Gear 32 is secured centrally to tubular member 30, portions of the tubular member protruding from both faces of the gear, the protruding portions serving as bearings for two driving races 40 and 40a. Gear 32 carries 35 a plurality of differential elements, preferably rollers42, rotatable on radial axes within slots formed through the gear.

Driven races 50 and 50a rotate with and drive output shaft 22 when the vehicleis being driven 40 forward, said driven races rotating in a sense opposite to that of the rotation of thedriving races as both driving and driven races are in power transmitting contact with intermediate power transmitting rollers to be described. In the particular transmission mechanism, in con-, nection with which this invention is illustrated, race 5b is fixed to shaft 22 as by a key and abutment means preventing forward axial and rotative movement on the shaft. Race a is capable 50 of limited angular and axial movements on shaft 22, as permitted by a torque responsive loading device (not shown) of any suitable known type, and bythe transmission elements interposed between race 50a and race 50. Races lll as and 46a are driven by gear 32 through said differential rollers 42, and gear 32 is driven by a gear 54 adapted to be clutched to input shaft 20.

Power transmitting intermediate rollers referred to, indicated by 60, 600., are mounted in forked carriers 62 and 6211., each of which is pivotally moored by a universal joint 63 or 63a to a supporting member I2 or I211, whereby the carriers may maintain the roller centers substantially fixed with respect to the frame or casing but allow the movements necessary to ratio changing. In the mechanism illustrated, each carrier has a lug nected by links 66 or or 68a rotatable on tubular member 26. ring or collar 68 or 68a may be rocked in either sense by control member R which is equipped at each end with an arm connected respectively to links 16, 16a, connected to collars 68 and 68a. Through control device R, therefore, collars 68, 68a, maybe rocked, thereby swinging carriers 62, 62a; around pivotal mooring joints 63, 63a, and causing inclination of each roller around an axis extending through the points of contact of the roller with the races, thereby steering the rollers to a higher or lower ratio position, according to the sense of movement imparted.

The mechanism this invention only insofar as it is necessary to disclose the best mode in which the principle thereof has been applied and impart to the public full information regarding making and using it.

The cooling and lubricating means, to which the invention more specifically relates, will now be described.

As all of the rollers 60, 66a are constructed alike and similarly mounted in the carriers 62, 62a, a description of roller 66 and its mounting, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, sufiices for all of them. Each roller, as illustrated in Fig; 1, has an axle I2 projected from both faces of the roller. The axle 12 may be formed integral with the roller, as illustrated, or otherwise made rigid with it. A central hole 14 extends completely through axle and roller. The end portions of the limbs of carrier 62 are formed with alined bearing seats open at one side, as at I6, to form gaps of less diameter than the bearing seats, but wide enough to admit axle 12 of roller 66 sidewise. After admission of axle 12 into the bearing openings, bearing sleeves 18 are inserted endwise into the bearing openings, sleeved over the end portions of the axle, and locked in place as by keys 86. The ends of the bearing sleeves are spaced from the faces of the roller in order to permit some end play of the roller axle in the sleeves, as is necessary to effect inclination of the roller in response to inclination of'the carrier. Each sleeve is plugged oil tight as by plugs 62, and provides a chamber 84 between each end of axle 12, and plugs 82, as shown in Fig. 1. A hole 86 in one of the sleeves 18, for admission of oil into one of the chambers 84, communicates with a source of oil, under pressure, to be described. Space for free fiow of oil from chambers 64 to roller 60 is provided between sleeves I8 and axle I2. Needle bearing rollers 88, in the 6611, to a ring or collar 68 illustrated embodiment, permit oil to flow freely between them to the ends of the sleeves where oil is discharged onto the innermost zones of the roller faces, whence the oil fiows outward under centrifugal force.

To concentrate or mass the oil discharged onto the faces of the roller at the inner zones adjacent the axle I2 so as to discharge it at the periphery 64 or 64a on oneface con- Each thus far described pertains to of the roller, a confining nd guiding shroud or plate 90 is disposed substantially parallel to each face of the roller. It is preferable to secure shroud 90 to the roller and allow it to rotate therewith. In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 3, shroud 96 is shown fixed to the roller by the expedient of embossing three or more equi-angularly spaced depressions in the sheet material of the shrouds and passing bolts or rivets 92 through these depressed areas and the roller thereby securing the shrouds spaced slightly from the faces of the roller. The shrouds may be formed as stamped disks of metal of a diameter somewhat smaller than that of the roller having a central hole 94 of greater diameter than that of the bearing sleeves 18. The material around the hole 94 'is preferably drawn outward to form a crater-like conical entrance and collector for oil spouting from bearings 88 onto the roller. O'il thrown onto the inner zones of the roller, it will, be perceived, will be thrown outward by the rotating roller, confined between the .shroudsandthe faces of the roller, and discharged forciblyonto the raceways in the path of theroller. Thus, the traction areas of rollers and races in contact will be continually drenched with cooling liquid during operation while liquid is-being; forced into'the chambers 84.

y In order to supply cooling and lubricating liquid to the rollers to be by them distributed as described, an oil pump I06 may be installed within; casing III, to be operated by input shaft 26. Any suitable type. of pump may be used. The pump shown (Fig.. 5) is a rotary pump having arotor member equipped-with a helical gear I62 arranged to meshnwith a helical gear I04 on input shaft 20. The pump is disposed in position to draw coolingandilubricating liquid from sump I66 through screen I08 into the pump and discharge it through pipe I I6 into a heat exchanger ;I I2 whence it proceeds-through pipe II4 to conduits ,and passages which conduct it to the several rollers and mother parts. As illustrated in Fig. 5, supporting -member- I2 has passages .II6 drilled from periphery. to central annular oil passage I3 so that liquid forced into one passage I I6'will fill the others. The external orifice of one of said passages is in communication with a passage in a fixture II6 which is also in communication with pipe II4 connected with the discharge side of the pump. The other passages I I6 are "plugged at-their outer extremities and all communicate by lateral ducts I20 with ducts I22 extending through pins I24 having spherical heads seated in spherical sockets formed in the carriers; which together constitute the beforementioned universal mooring connections of the carriers 62 to the supporting member I2. Ducts I22 discharge into cross ducts I26 which unite with ducts I28, one-extending along one of the limbs of each carrier. The ducts leading to and disposed ina carrier 62 are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Duct I28; communicates with hole 86 in' bearing sleeve 'l8 andthus supplies liquid to roller 66. Similar ducts and passages lead from the other two passages I I6 to other carriers and rollers 62 and 66.

In order to supply rollers 66a with cooling and lubricating liquid, some of the liquid forced by pump I60 into-one of said passages H6 in member I2, passes into annular oil passage I3 as described and thence flows'into other passages H6 so to rollers 60, while another portion flows through holes 29 in-tube 28 to the annular space betweensaid'tube'and'shaft 22. The space between tube and shaft is sealed at each end as shown at I30. The liquid, therefore, fills the annular space and passes through holes 29a into annular oil groove l3a in member l2a. Member Hat is drilled with passages like passages H6 which are plugged at their outer extremities and connected with lateral ducts leading through carrier 62a to rollers 66a precisely as described with respect to conducting liquid to rollers 60.

Whenever the vehicle is traveling, pump I is circulating cooling and lubricating liquid from the reservoir to the rollers and races back to the reservoir, discharging liquid onto the inner portions of the rollers whence it is thrown by centrifugal force in sheets to drench the areas of working contact of rollers and races, thus carrying heat away from working areas thereby avoiding danger of pitting and scoring the Working surfaces.

I claim:

1. In friction race and roller power transmission mechanism, the combination of a race, a roller in tractive engagement therewith, means for conducting liquid to and depositing it on a face of the roller adjacent its axis, and a plate spaced from said roller face adapted and arranged to confine and spread the liquid in sheet formbetween it and said roller face.

2. In friction power transmission mechanism of race and roller type, a roller in combination with means cooperating with at least one face voutward, and means for 3 thereof for guiding liquid radially outward and means for conducting liquid into the space be tween roller face and guide adjacent the axis of the roller.

3. In friction power transmission mechanism of race and roller type, a roller in combination with means secured to and spaced from at least one face of the roller for guiding liquid radially conducting liquid onto the space between roller face and guide adjacent the axis of the roller.

4. In friction power transmission mechanism of race and roller type, a roller in combination with means secured to and spaced from at least one face of the roller for guiding liquid radially outward, said means comprising a shroud of sheet material, and means for conducting liquid to the space between shroud and roller face adjacent the roller axis.

5. Means as defined in claim 4, wherein the shroud of sheet material part provided with a central opening.

6. 'In friction race and roller power transmission mechanism, the combination of a race, a roller in tractive engagement therewith; means for conducting liquid to and depositing it on the roller surface, and a guiding shroud spaced from the roller surface for confining the liquid and guiding it to the traction areas of the roller and race.

JOHN o. VALMEN.

has a central conoidal 

